Checkmate
by xVenusInFurs29x
Summary: Years after Alice's departure, the Red Queen and her Pawns have returned to Wonderland to seek justice and take back Wonderland from the King of Hearts. Liam Hatter, the son of Alice and Hatter, is mistakenly called upon to enter Wonderland with one task: find Princess Alisa of Hearts, play bodyguard and bring her to the secret White Court. Adventure/Humor/Drama/Romance/Angst.
1. Chapter 1

_**I do not own any of Lewis Carroll's characters or any of the SYFY Alice's characters...if I did, I'd love to have Hatter from the SYFY one!**_

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The room was dark, covered in shadows and lit by a small mock candle on the barred windowsill of the cell. The cell held the former Queen of Hearts, now disgraced and banished, who held her body swathed in a sea foam dress on the bench with as much dignity as she could muster. Her face carried new lines, her red hair pulled back from her face with a single white streak running through and her red lips thinned in anger at the betrayal of her son fifteen years ago. She had sat and faced the orderlies, the guards, and the doctors with as much grace as one could without raging at them to release her. How she wanted all of their heads. If she was ever released, heads would roll in Wonderland and that would start with her son Jack of Hearts then the wench Alice, if she ever returned.

The Queen sighed in anger and closed her smudged eyes, listening to the silence of her new prison. Before she could relax her body, sirens and the sound of metal crunching together then ripping away echoed in the halls. Fluorescent lights flickered on in rows and lit up the hallways then the rooms in a timed manner. The Queen listened to the sound of running feet, shouting, and then the sick sounds of gurgling and splashing. The sound of metal clinking, lasers and even the old bullets from an older Wonderland screamed through her cell. She held her breath and clutched her hands together until her fingers numbed.

Heels clicked slowly in the hallway outside her cell, not far away and moving ever so quickly. A prim and commanding voice spoke in a firm voice, as if giving orders to others with her. It must be a woman, for the heels weren't for heavy boots like a man but they weren't stilettoes either. Soon enough the heels clicked outside her door.

"Knight, open this door with that strange card would you? Be quick," the voice called sharply. The door beeped, unlocked and then swung open.

The Queen of Hearts tilted her head over to the visitors with what was her blankest expression before her face paled and the blood draining. She dropped her eyes before the woman clicked her tongue.

"Ah, ah. The Queen of Hearts, formerly of Wonderland. You have been quite the challenge to find and I dare say I did not expect you to be in such a prison," the woman spoke crisply and in that prim voice suggesting nobility.

The Queen kept her eyes on the floor until she heard the woman clear her throat and come closer, her heels clicking soundly.

"You will look at me when spoken to. It is only proper etiquette and, considering your new station, what is due your newest role in this society." This was said with an underlying warning and the Queen of Hearts let her eyes travel up.

Before her very eyes, the woman stood before her. She was dressed very primly and regally. Her deep red hair was pulled tightly into a bun, lone rolled curls falling past her shoulder and alongside her square jaw. A small velvet hat, cocked to the side, with a net hung above her forehead, allowing her stormy blue eyes to take in the room around her in a calculating fashion. Her pale skin was unblemished aside from a painted mole on her cheek and light rouge. Her lips were thin and painted into a crimson bow shape. Her entire face was regal and sharp like a bird's. Her body was swathed in a tight velvet short coat, leather corset with stripes, and a long flat dress with black lace on the ends. The fabric was completely red aside from the black lace tied at her throat, the lace on the dress, the stripes, and at her sleeves. Even the polished boots with buttons and thin-wedged heels were red.

The Queen of Hearts knew exactly who this woman was and she blanched in terror. This was the Red Queen…

"I can read your face clearly. I am disappointed in you and quite angry with you. I understand, while I was investigating more of MY kingdom and recruiting more Pawns, that you got out of line. You decided, poorly, to interrupt the little war between the Red and White Courts. My Red King is quite dead and the Castle of Knights demolished. That was a very poor decision indeed," the Red Queen spoke out loud as if reading the Queen of Hearts' offenses. The Red Queen's thin gloves slapped against one hand while she moved stiffly, heels clicking again.

The Red Queen stopped suddenly then whirled to face the Queen of Hearts, her lips now curled in anger. "This was 150 years ago. Wonderland must be a cesspool now and running rampant like mad rabbits. You dared to interfere. I have lost my King and my Knight tells me the White Knights have perished, the White Court gone. Your son sits on the throne of Wonderland, I hear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Queen of Hearts whispered.

"Speak up. No one likes a mumbling fool. This puts me in a weak position and the White Court ready to move. Your interference has cost me the throne, so the White Court can now move silently. Foolish Queen of Hearts, you are no queen and you have never been. The Red family should have taken your head long ago, I should say."

The Queen of Hearts moved her head and stood up suddenly but with quaking legs. "Take their heads, all of them. My son must be punished."

The Red Queen faced the Queen of Hearts head on, clicked her tongue, and slapped her gloves on one hand. She looked the former Queen up and down. "You desire such vengeance while I demand justice. You will not gain a throne, you understand? It was never yours to take."

The Queen of Hearts held back anger and nodded briskly. The Red Queen stepped toward the Queen, paused, and squeezed her gloves tightly. Her lips thinned.

"I will now ask this, former Queen of Hearts. Where is the White Court and where is she? You must know, for I have been…immobile these past 150 years."

The Queen of Hearts frowned and raised her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about? The White Court has all vanished, dead, eaten by the Jabberwocky, who knows. And who is this she? You are mad now."

The Red Queen bit her lip hard then laughed hollowly.

"Of course, of course. While you have been running this casino the dear Rook tells me of, information has been travelling and running through the edges of Wonderland. Bander was quite efficient in catching a few messengers but he missed one important traveller I needed. The White Court has been alive these 150 years had you not been drunk on your potions and been aware. Mad March is dead I hear, again too? You really should not have executed your best tracker…you might have learned all I have."

The Red Queen snapped her gloves hard then turned towards the door, beginning her short walk towards it. She let her torso turn so her blue eyes met the Queen's. "You may exact your vengeance for I demand justice. Temporary allegiance if you will call this. You may actually be useful as a Pawn. Knight, do bag her and lets leave this prison."

The Queen of Hearts let herself huff in bafflement until she let darkness covered her head, the smell of leather smothering her and her hands becoming bound by silver handcuffs. She felt herself dragged along by strong hands, led to follow the newly returned Red Queen.

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The Red Queen lifted her head and walked steadily on. Her thin hands held her gloves tightly. She had learned much the past year after her long sleep and travels. She was quite enraged by the acts of the mad Queen of Hearts. There seemed to be a loss of order and justice in the realm. She would restore such once more, but only after decimating the imprudent House of Hearts and seeking the White Court. The Red Queen's lips curled as she remembered the startling news from her clever Bander of her…now to find her and the Red Queen knew exactly where she was. Oh, Jack of Hearts, pretender to the throne of Wonderland, you have kept such secrets…

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_**Whew! First chapter up! So the Red Queen and her 'Pawns' have returned to Wonderland to take it back and find the White Court...but who will find this mysterious 'she'? Reviews are always wonderful and inspire me to keep going! Let me know what you think!**_

_**I found listening to All Time Low's Painting Flowers song helpful for this story so far.**_

_**Next chapter or two will be up next week!**_


	2. Chapter 2

The Moon hung in the velvet night sky, its glittering drops of silver falling past the open balcony of the small room and casting its glow onto the satin sheets of the young girl's bed. She was tucked in loosely, her cotton nightgown stretched to her neck. Her deep cobalt eyes absorbed the specks of the moon's dust and sparkled unnaturally more than they normally did in the daytime. The Duchess sat beside her in her gold finery, her hands holding open the worn book and her feminine voice echoing the words in the book. Her gold bracelets jangled as she closed the cover and raised her own blue eyes to look at the girl by her side.

"And that is how Alice returned to her world," the Duchess finished with a sad smile.

The young girl smiled shyly, her ruby colored lips rising at the corners. The Duchess patted the girl's milky pale skin, before reaching for the gold brush on the side table. The girl sat up knowingly and shook her white hair out, letting it tumble down her back. The Duchess moved behind her, combing the wavy locks out like she did every night before the girl's bedtime.

"Alisa, you are getting too old for that book. I don't know why Jack indulges you so much."

"I suppose I enjoy hearing about the legendary Alice. It's a strange tale, Mother. I wouldn't be so brave," the girl's twinkling voice retorted gently.

The Duchess continued to brush her hair before patting her back soothingly, signaling her to lay back. Before Alisa could even lay back, she pressed her small hands to her mouth and shot up from the bed to her balcony. The wind whipped her hair wildly, but she remained in awe of the shooting star passing the night sky. She pointed at the sky and let out a giggle.

"A shooting star! How lovely! I should make a wish."

The Duchess pushed her blonde tresses back and stood, her stilettoes clicking on the marble floor. She crossed her bare arms and stood up to lightly scold the absent-minded girl. Alisa could be one of the most forgetful creatures, even at 14 years old. Jack was too soft on her, but he was a father and fathers did that. Before she could scold, the door to the room opened. The tall and noble figure of Jack stood in the doorway, his smooth brow lightly scrunched and full lips in a thin line. His red suit was impeccable as always but his hair seemed messy and his eyes troubled.

"Alisa, it is late. Please, go to bed dearest."

Alisa turned then, her eyes shimmering and hands clasped in front of her willowy body. She let a ghost of a smile pass her own full mouth, but she did not hesitate to go to her father. She stood in front of his much taller and wider body. Her eyes drifted to reach his own before pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek quickly and letting a real smile form.

"A shooting star passed so I made a wish. Is it wrong to dream of wishes?"

Jack blinked and shook his head. "Of course not."

The flaxen haired beauty's eyes twinkled before she scrunched her nose and spoke. "If I had a world of my own, I would dream all day and have wishes come true for everyone."

Jack paled then recovered himself, standing upright to his full height and letting his eyes shift to the book on her bed. "You wish to be like the legendary Alice, I see. For now, you must dream in your sleep."

Alisa let a blush heat up her cheeks before curtsying and walking to her high bed to tuck in for the night. The Duchess tucked her in gently, kissing her forehead and placing the book on the side table. She walked away, her hips swaying and bracelets knocking against her wrists. She looked once at Jack and read worry in his eyes. Jack pulled her by her bare upper arm as he closed the door with a click. He checked the corridor both ways and clenched his square jaw.

"There is news travelling. I just received it through a close source and its been confirmed. The Red Queen has returned and she is on the march back to Wonderland. There are reports that she has destroyed the prison I banished my mother to as well."

The Duchess let her jaw drop, trying to form words before finally speaking shakily. "Has the Queen been released? Are they coming here?"

Jack ran a hand through his golden hair before replying, letting his fatigue show. "Yes. That is all the information I have. It is enough for worry. You know the plan if something were to happen of this nature."

"But-but who is this source? The Red Queen has been gone for 150 years. Why show now?" The Duchess shook with anger and worry. She couldn't and wouldn't believe this news after all the time put into restoring Wonderland from the Queen of Hearts' tyranny.

Jack cleared his throat and sighed. "Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar's right hand man if you will."

The Duchess blanched and narrowed her eyes. "I thought that was a myth. Long dead. I don't trust that…that…that agent."

Jack then grabbed both her arms with a steel grip and met her eyes, forcing her to look at him. "Well I do. Caterpillar was never wrong with his information. I would know. The Cheshire Cat is a bit mad but was well trusted by Caterpillar. I did not doubt him then and do not doubt him now. The point is The Red Queen is moving and we must go about our plan as promised."

The Duchess let a hand brush her mouth, closing her eyes to fight back tears. "Alisa."

Jack nodded, his own calm mask slipping. He cleared his throat and fixed his cufflinks. "I've all ready spoken to the Knave, my most trusted man. He will take her deep into the city away from here. We must be brave. The Red Queen will not take my daughter as I foresee she might choose to do. This must not happen. The Stone of Wonderland will also go with Alisa."

The Duchess nodded fervently. "Yes, I understand. Jack, what will happen to her?"

The King of Hearts, known throughout Wonderland for his iron resolve and calm reserve, felt his world shatter as he thought of the flaxen beauty in the next room asleep and lost in her dreams of wishes and stars. Alisa, his gentle angel who could not hurt any creature, whose shyness only lapsed when she sang to the butterflies in the artificial garden or when she would read aloud to him. His shy, closeted daughter would be torn from him but she would be safe. He could only think of one option, his best and last resort.

"We will send for Alice."

The Duchess laughed hollowly. "Seriously?"

Jack nodded tightly. "She saved Wonderland before and she can do it again, even if that Hatter miscreant is with her."

The Duchess grabbed his shoulder then and looked at him with concern. "But what if she is gone? Time passes so quickly here."

Jack had thought this over many times but there were no options.

"She must be or Wonderland is lost and so might be Alisa."

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**Here is chapter two! Finally got it out. Its a bit short but everything will really start going quick and mad. :-) Enjoy and leave some feedback. This is my experiment with 2009's Alice, which came out forever ago but I wanted to write a fic anyway because I loved it so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I own nothing of Alice 2009 or the works inspiring it!**

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Dawn came early, its radiant arms stretching to touch upon the flowing silk curtains of the balcony of the sleeping princess and upon her porcelain furniture. The beauty slept peacefully, her face a calm reflection of the dreams dancing in her head. The King of Hearts, for once since the news of the Red Queen, let the worry fall off his features while he sat on her cotton bed and placed a large gloved hand atop the beauty's own smaller ones. He found himself looking upon his daughter and letting the memories of her laughs, her crystal voice when she spoke to him of books she read, her sweet voice when she sang down the halls to the Suits, and when she would dance with him in his bare study on days when he would sulk over the growing amount of paperwork he sifted through. The Duchess found her childish with her vivid imagination but it was a quality he found most endearing.

While he mulled over his memories, the beauty awoke. Her eyelids fluttered until her deep cobalt eyes met his pale sky blue ones. She smiled brightly and gripped his hand tightly. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she sat up swiftly and pulled her troubled father into a hug that made his next words all the more difficult to speak. Jack, the King of Hearts and ruler of Wonderland, pulled her back and looked into his daughter's eyes with all the steel resolve he could muster.

"Dearest, there is something I need to tell you and you must follow it. No matter what you may feel. No arguments."

The beauty only raised one thin eyebrow and lit up with a smile, despite the seriousness of the discussion. "Father, I will never argue with you. You are wise in all you do and I trust you."

Jack cleared his dry throat and spoke the words he dreaded to say, words he thought he would never need to speak. "Alisa, you must go away for a time. It is not safe here for you. Your mother and I must stay, no matter the consequences. You must be safe and well."

The beauty nodded nonchalantly. "Someone is coming you wish would not come."

"Yes." Jack replied.

The beauty began twirling a lock of her flaxen mane and let one tear drip from her closed eyes. "I will not see you again, will I?"

Jack found himself unable to respond. What was there to say to his innocent daughter, one he found himself unable to part with that he had kept hidden in the skyscraper all her life? One he had indulged in and loved more than he had the strong willed Alice from long ago. There were simply no words for once. His tongue was heavy, but he found his courage ride over what pieces were left of his heart.

"One of my suits, Mr. Knave, will take you to somewhere safe where a friend can keep you well and healthy. The Duchess has all ready ordered your most needed items packed."

The beauty, his tender Alisa, hugged him once more and let her tears run more freely. "But, Father, who will tend to you? You cannot ache alone. I wake from such a wonderful dream to such a nightmare."

Jack pulled away from her and smiled grimly. "Then that must be remedied. Nightmares are banned from Wonderland. Would you like a beautiful dream?"

Alisa nodded fervently, her unnatural eyes sparkling like sapphires in a ring. She jumped from her bed nimbly and danced over to her folding screen, letting her hands run down her blue dress and grey coat. She turned suddenly and looked at him sagely. "Do you think my garden will be kept up? My birds will be lonely without songs to keep their spirits up. It will be lonely here…"

Jack stood, brushing flint from his deep red suit and adjusting his silken kerchief in his breast pocket. "No, the Duchess will feed them and sing them songs. We won't be so lonely."

Jack knew he was lying through his teeth, but it wouldn't help to be completely honest with his daughter. The Red Queen was nearly hours away and Alisa needed to be far away. Though he didn't desire her to be so deep in the underbelly of Wonderland's city that never slept, he didn't want her where the resistance could not keep eyes on her. There were spies all around, maybe now. His eyes flickered over to the cracked door of the room, the hazel eyes of Mr. Knave connecting with Jack. He nodded once and let in his most loyal Suit. Dustin Knave was young but intelligent and full of vigor and promise. He was scholarly with a strict code of honor, never failing to fulfill his duties yet he held a witty air about him and could banter with Jack when he wasn't busy checking security measures or tapping away at his digipad. Jack could count on this brilliant young man to guard his daughter on their way to the city and keep contact with the agents embedded there.

The beauty tiptoed from behind her screen, her hands modestly folded and eyes on the ground. She was dressed impeccably in a blue dress that hugged her figure and fell to below the knee. The wool coat was cropped to her waist and buttoned in the middle. Her shoes were black ankle boots that buttoned on the side. She resembled a schoolgirl ready for class. Her eyes lifted from the ground and sparkled once more upon seeing the darkly dressed Dustin Knave. She ran over to him and held his hands lightly. "Oh, Dusty! You look keen and ready for adventure! Are you going on one? You should have told me. I so long for one. I dreamed I had one."

Dustin Knave let a ghost of a smile pass his cupid mouth before straightening out. He pulled his gloved hands away, waiting for Jack to signal him. Jack sighed and let his long legs stride over to where the young people stood, all the while pulling out a glass bottle of purple liquid.

"Dearest, would you like a dream?" Jack asked innocently, pulling the stopper off the bottle.

The beauty smiled with pure delight. "Of course. No one wants nightmares."

Jack held out the small bottle and attempted a tight smile, feeling his chest clench and heart fall apart all over again. "We can't have any nightmares here. Remember? This will give you dreams of songs, adventures, and gardens and of me. No nightmares ever."

The beauty took the bottle and looked it over curiously. "Do you promise, Father?"

"Yes."

The beauty put the bottle to her red lips and tipped it back, the liquid passing her lips and down her throat. She beamed a full smile that soon faltered. Her brow furrowed deeply in confusion until smoothing over. Her grip grew loose on the bottle, slipping past her thin fingers and nearly dropping to the floor with the rest of her body. Knave was quick to catch her limp body and cradle her in his strong arms.

Jack grabbed the bottle and hid it in his breast pocket. "You know what to do. Report to Cheshire so she may send notice to Dodo. We must hide her at The Gardens. Do not take any risks."

Knave nodded and gripped the beauty tighter. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Jack pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead before Knave passed through the doors and only echoes of footsteps remained in the room of his daughter. The rays of the Sun did not seem so promising or bright, but dark and foreboding. It was as if the radiance had left the room, the royal skyscraper and Jack's heart. His last piece of happiness had fled from his broken heart, leaving only cold worry and acceptance. Acceptance that he would never see his child again and that he would die at least knowing his child was in good hands. Yes, he could die with that knowledge at least.

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**Thanks for reading so far! The Red Queen appears next chapter and heads will roll. Leave feedback! It inspires me so much, you have no idea how much I enjoy reading reviews and seeing how much you all enjoy my stories as much as I do writing them.**


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